Life and Misadventures

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Since they announced the continuation of the series, fans all over the world rejoiced. Until, of course, further details confirmed it as to be a play performed only in England. Everyone who wasn’t in or near England expressed their dismay until the production and organization that put Harry Potter and the Cursed Child together finally gave in to the fans’ wishes to publish the script into a book. It took a few months for me to get my hands on this since it was always sold out. Once I finally got it, it took me about 5 months to finish because I was just so scared for it to end all over again.

Warning: Spoilers ahead!

We finally know what everyone has been up to, their achievements, the second generation. However, I was a bit disappointed about the trio. They seemed like different people, not the Harry, Hermione and Ron that we knew. I get that people change but if they didn’t mention their names with every line, I wouldn’t even recognize who they were. They got the basics right, but it still felt too forced. Even Severus Snape’s brief encounter in the story felt fabricated. It was yet another attempt at redeeming the character(I am a firm anti-Snape supporter) but failed. Draco Malfoy’s character was the only one of the lot that stuck with me because he matured exactly how you would want and expect him to. He was still his proud self mixed with a heart cracked open (just a crack!) enough to redeem himself as a father and, eventually, as a friend to the trio.

The story follows Albus and Scorpius’ adventure through time and their attempt to bettering their present by changing the past. They believe that all their problems would disappear if they changed one detail in the past: Cedric Diggory dying in the hands of Lord Voldemort. Right off the bat, that idea did not make sense to me but I went along with it to see how the events unfold. They decide to steal the Time Turner, which was a stupid idea but okay lets go with it, and go back to the day of Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory’s Triwizard Tournament. They mess up Cedric’s tasks and everything goes to shit, just as I expected it to be, and they accidentally create an alternate future (which is their present) with Harry ending up dead and Voldemort ruling the Wizarding World. Great job Albus and Scorpius!

Don’t worry though because Scorpius, being the dependable smart one, finds a way to fix everything and bring him and Albus back to the normal time.

Their friendship’s chemistry and personalities match well though. However, throughout the book, I fell in love with Scorpius’ lovable character and grew more and more annoyed with Albus’ despite him being the main protagonist. Albus was too whiny and dark and angsty. No wonder why he was placed in Slytherin. Scorpius’ character was well developed and had a unique backstory. Long story short Scorpius > Albus. Scorpius should get his own play and book.

Time is a very interesting subject that has always captivated me from the Back to the Future Trilogy to Dr. Who to The Flash running through time (literally). Cursed Child’s take on it is just as interesting. Seeing our beloved characters’ alternate futures when Albus and Scorpius changed the past was great, however brief. Hermione being a badass rebel takes the cake.

I really do not like the antagonist here, Delphi Diggory/Riddle. Sure she was the plot twist but the only interesting things about her is her blueish silver hair and being the child of Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange. She is a bland character easily forgotten, which I did before she was reintroduced as the bad guy all along towards the end.

CAYSEE

About Her

Caysee is a 23 year old Filipina who is currently living in Doha, Qatar. She is a Slytherin, a Jedi, girl at the rock show, cat mom and gamer who longs for bum days at the beach, traveling and all forms of adventure.